Chosen Family
by Breathesgirl
Summary: Theodore Nott may not have any surviving family since the Dark Lord's fall, but his chosen family is just fine.


It was one of those rare days in London: Sunny and warm, with just a hint of a breeze. A day just perfect for taking advantage of.

They met up in the magical side of Regent's Park. The flora was all colours of the rainbow. The fauna was making itself scarce, the birds were restricting themselves to the trees and bushes, and the insects were non-existent since there was a charm around the Wizarding Park which prevented them from entering.

"How are you these days, Theo?" Asked Adrian Pucey of his friend from childhood.

"Better than expected," Theo Nott replied as he looked at his friend and nodded, noting that he hadn't changed much since school.

"Malfoy treating you right?" The dark haired Adrian asked quietly as he took his portion of their picnic from the basket he'd brought.

Theo nodded as he removed his own portion of the picnic from a different basket and set it on the table he had conjured as soon as he had appeared at their meeting place. "He has no reason not to," he explained, "since we are both pure bloods, after all." He said this last more quietly than was his wont during his school years. Things had changed since the Dark Lord's demise, and not for the better in his opinion. Still, it wouldn't do to have the wrong sort hear their opinions until the time was right for them to hear it.

"And your project? How is it going?" Adrian cast his eyes about, making sure no one was about to overhear their conversation. He took his wand out and cast a Notice-Me-Not charm and a Muffliato to make sure no one could possibly overhear.

Nott looked around, paranoia had paid off many times over the years, even before Voldemort had been defeated. "It is going...well. As I expected, actually."

Adrian nodded as he took a bite of of his quail, and nodded in appreciation of his elf's expertise in the kitchen. He chewed and swallowed, "You really must try this quail Theo, Trilby outdid herself with this one.

"Is there a Mrs. Nott II in your future?" He snickered quietly as he took a bite of the buttered garlic green beans, "And compliments to your chef as well. He got just the right amount of garlic in the butter. I can taste it, but it's not overpowering."

"Thank you, I will let him know of your appreciation for his culinary skills. As for a wife," Theo shrugged, "I haven't found anyone suitable locally. I have sent enquiries into the continent to see what can be found there, but do not have high hopes." He shook his head, not really concerned about not having a wife and not continuing the Nott line since he had no one hounding him about grandchildren, and really, he preferred being by himself. There was no one to hound him to go here or there, no crying children to pretend to love, nor wife, either, if it came to that. There was just himself and his two house elves, and that was just fine by him. "What about you? Any little Pucey's in the offing?" He grinned slightly. Theo had heard about Adrian's exploits, and had wondered over the years why he hadn't just taken one of the women to wife, thereby saving his reputation and giving his parents grandchildren.

Adrian nodded, smiling slightly. "Aurora Fawley's name just appeared, with Baby Pucey under it on the Tapestry yesterday, so in about six months Mother thinks. I'm to meet with her and her Father next week to arrange for a marriage before the blighter's born."

Theo looked rather surprised, although he shouldn't have. "So your ways have finally caught up with you then. I'm surprised it took this long."

Adrian shook his head, "I'm not. Despite their being inferior, muggles do have one good invention." At Theo's look of disgust, which then morphed into surprise, he continued, "condoms. A little device a man puts over his," he toned his voice down to barely a whisper and gestured vaguely to his groin, "member. It catches all the future children, without having them enter the woman so they can be disposed of. Of course, I combine this with the usual contraceptive spells.

"Their advertising is surprisingly effective in my experience. They say it's 99% effective, and since I've been using them since just after the war, and this is the first conception...well..." he shrugged and let his sentence trail off, uncomfortable with discussing such things in a public setting, even with notice-me-not and muffliato in place.

 **Seven Months Later**

A picture dominated the Banns and Notices section of the Daily Prophet. It was a proud looking Adrian Pucey with a squalling baby in his arms.

 _The Pucey family would like to announce the arrival of a son to Adrian Pucey II and wife Aurora Pucey née Fawley._

 _The baby's name will be released at the naming ceremony in one week's time. Invitations have already been delivered._

 _We at the Prophet would like to extend our congratulations to the happy family. Welcome Baby Pucey, may you have a long and fulfilling life._

Theo carefully clipped the announcement from the paper and put it with his invitation to the Naming Ceremony. Both would be put with the family memorabilia after the ceremony. He may not want to start a family of his own, but his chosen family was just fine.


End file.
